Osgood-Schlatter Disease

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Original Editor - Casey Kirkes, Geoffrey De Vos

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Search Strategy

I (Geoffrey De Vos) searched the PEDro –database, The Physiotherapy Evidence Database and Pubmed (medline)database to gain some information. In this databases I mostly searched for information (articles, EBP) that can be useful for physiotherapists, so subjects like diagnosis and treatment were my aim. I also searched information in books (literature) (see resources). I often used keywords as: Osgood-Schlatter disease •Tibial tuberosity • Tibial apophysis・ Rehabilitation ・diagnosis ・treatment

Region: knee (anterior knee pain) (tibial tubercle + patellar tendon) (musculoskeletal injuries)

Definition/Description

Osgood-Schlatter disease is a traction apophysitis at the level of the tibial tubercle due to repetitive strain on the secondary ossification center of the tibial tuberosity. The traction apophysitis generally develops during the adolescent growth spurt, most often it appears between the ages of 8 and 14 years in girls (because of their earlier bone growth development) and 10 to 15 years in boys. It occurs slightly more often in boys. These traction apophysitises are probably one the most encountered overuse injuries in children and adolescents¹.

Clinically Relevant Anatomy

The tibial tubercle (the tuberosity of the tibia or tibial tuberosity ) is a large oblong elevation on the proximal anterior aspect of the tibia, just distal from the anterior surfaces of the medial and lateral tibial condyles. It gives attachment to the patellar ligament or patellar tendon. (C Reid D. et al) The Osgood-Schlatter disease is localized at the tibial tubercle at the anterior side of the knee, but only in an adoslecent knee. At this tibial tubercle the pain can be felt by the patient, in most of the times unilateral, but more frequently also bilateral².

The patellar tendon attaches to the tibial tuberosity inferior to the patella.  Stress at this musculo-tendonous junction can cause pain and swelling.

Epidemiology /Etiology

Children and adolescents have growth zones in both the femur and the tibia and an apophysis (cartilage bone/cartilaginous material) at the tibial tuberosity. This cartilage (flexible connective tissue that often can be found between two bones) has also, like bones, muscles and tendons, a grow capacity. But during the adolescent growth spurt, bones and cartilage grow much faster than muscles and tendons. The slower elongation of the musculotendinous extensor apparatus of the knee (m.quadriceps) inflicts very strong forces on the small site of the insertion of the patellar tendon to the tibial tuberosity. These forces can cause microavulsions of the tibial tuberosity. The cartilage of the tibial tuberosity (the anterior portion of the developing ossification center of the tibial tuberosity) can resist forces but not as bone and when the child or the adolescent does some physical activities the forces at the the patellar tendon and tibial tuberosity increases, which causes pain, irritation and in some cases microavulsions or avulsions fractures of the tibial tuberosity².

Increased stress of the musculotendenous junction of the patellar tendon and tibial tuberosity can cause the tendon to pull away from the bone a little bit.  This small amount of tearing leads to increased pain and swelling below the knee cap.  The condition is worsened with activities that subject the patellar tendon to high loads such as squatting, or jumping. In some cases ossification will occur at the area of trauma leading to a bony protuberance at the tibial tuberosity.

Characteristics/Clinical Presentation

Pain is the leading symptom in this disease and it appears and aggravates during physical activities such as running, jumping, cycling, kneeling, walking up and down the stairs and kicking a ball (knee extension). In sports like basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, … the pain increases.² The clinical picture consists of pain localized to the area of the tibial tubercle. In some cases the tubercle may be swollen and hypertrophied and there is also tightness of the m. quadriceps. Characteristics such as temperature or intra-articular swelling is not relevant (rarely the tuberosity can feel warm), but swelling, tenderness and pain of the tibial tuberosity often appears.²

• Painful palpaton of the tibial tuberosity.
• Pain at the tibial tubeosity that worsens with physical activity or sport.
• Increased pain at the tibial tuberosity with squating, stairs or jumping.
• In some cases increased bony protuberance at the tibial tuberosity.

Differential Diagnosis

Some differential diagnosis can be: jumper’s knee (patellar tendinitis) or Sinding- Larsen-Johanssen syndrome, these disease are also localized at the patellar tendon and can cause similar knee problems.

Diagnostic Procedures

X-Rays may be utilized to better visualize the musculotendenous junction in severe cases or if avulsion is suspected.

-The diagnosis is based on typical clinical findings (see clinical presentation). ²
- Radiographic examinations of both knees should always be performed, in both the anterior-posterior
and lateral projections, to rule out the possibility of tumors, fractures, ruptures or infections. The lateral
radiograph generally shows the characteristic picture of prominent tibial tubercle with irregularly ossific
nucleus, or free bony fragment proximal to the tubercle. Imaging is also useful to exclude tuberosity
epiphysiolysis or tumors. (C Reid D. et al)
-Sonographic examination can also be used. The ultrasound can be directed to demonstrate the
appearance of the cartilage and bony surface, the patellar tendon, soft-tissue swelling anterior to the
tibial tuberosity, and fragmentation of the tibial tuberosity.

Examination

A diagnosis can be made through a thorough history and examination. Tenderness to palpation over the tibial tuberosity that worsens with weight bearing squat or jumping is fairly indicitive ot this disease.

-Physical examination reveals pain during palpation of the tibial tubercle.
-Resisted extension of the knee from 90° flexed position will usually reproduce pain, but resisted straight
leg raised test is usually painless.
-The Ely test, which proves excessive tightness of the quadriceps femoris muscle, is positive in all cases. vimeo.com/12144886

Outcome Measures

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Medical Management

Treatment should begin with rest, icing (RICE), activity modification and sometimes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Physical Therapy Management

The physiotherapist can focus on stretching and strengthening exercises for m. quadriceps, hamstrings and lower extremity muscles. ³ (+ see recent research pubmed Gholve PA et al) Non-operative treatment of this disease is based on the same principles that apply all overuse injuries. Today, there is no need for total immobilization, or for totally refraining from athletic activities. Of vital importance is that the physician inform the parents, the coach, and the child athlete of the natural course of this disease. The child should continue his normal physical activities, to the limit that the pain allows it, so lower intensity of frequency of exercising (activity modification). Also swimming, as a secondary athletic activity, is very good during this disease (no discomfort). Also knee-braces, tapes, slip-on knee support with an infrapatellar strap or pad are recommended and may help during physical activities and can reduce pain. (C Reid D. et al, but no EBP)
The symptoms tend to subside within 2 years, and the prognosis is excellent in the majority of cases.² So the symptoms of Osgood-Schlatter will generally decline and disappear in most patients if non operative treatment is carried out long enough, especially after bone growth is terminated. Persistent symptoms are followed by development of loose fragments above the tibial tubercle, or within the patellar ligaments. In these cases, the symptoms will disappear only after these fragments, ossicle and/or free cartilaginous material, are surgically excised (recent research Pihlajamäki HK et al). ( (M Béuima M. et al). But surgical procedures should be avoided until the child has grown up and the bone growth has been completed to avoid growth-plate arrest and the development of recurvatum and or valgus of the knee.²

Key Research

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Resources

Articles:

Blankstein A, Cohen I, Heim M, Diamant L, Salai M, Chechick A, Ganel A. Ultrasonography as a diagnostic modality in Osgood-Schlatter disease. A clinical study and review of the literature. © Springer-Verlag 2001, Arch Orthop Trauma Surg (2001) 121 :536–539 (BEOORDELING: A1)

Baltaci G, Ozer H, Tunay V. B. Rehabilitation of avulsion fracture of the tibial tuberosity following Osgood-Schlatter disease. © Springer-Verlag 2003, Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc
(2004) 12 : 115–118 ( BEOORDELING A2)

Literature: Secundary Resources

M Béuima M, Bojanic I. Overuse injuries of the musculoskeletal system. CRC press, 2004, p 230 -231, 316, 375, 378-379 (primary resources: Kyjula UM, Ivist M, Hunonen O. Osgood Schlatter disease in adolescent athletes. Am J Sports Med, 1985, 13 : 236-241)

C Reid D. Sports injuries assessment and rehabilitation. Churchill Livingstone USA, 1992, p 406 – 411
(primary resource: Mital MA, Matza RA: Osgood Schlatter disease. The painful puzzler. Physician Sports Med, 5: 60, 1997)

Clinical Bottom Line

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Recent Related Research (from Pubmed)

Gholve PA, Scher DM, Khakharia S, Widmann RF, Green DW. Osgood Schlatter syndrome.
Division of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York 10021, USA. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2007 Feb;19(1):44-50.

Pihlajamäki HK, Visuri TI. Long-term outcome after surgical treatment of unresolved osgood-schlatter disease in young men: surgical technique. Research Department, Centre for Military Medicine, P.O. Box 50, FIN 00301 Helsinki, Finland. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2010 Sep;92 Suppl 1 Pt 2:258-64.www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20844181